An Oldowan flake and scapula found on a dig in Kenya. (T.W. Plummer via SWNS) By Talker

By Stephen Beech

Man's ancestors transported stones over long distances to craft tools 2.6 million years ago - 600,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Stone tools unearthed in Kenya reveal that hominins regularly moved raw materials up to eight miles, say American scientists.

Research shows that ancient humans used an array of stone tools - known collectively as the Oldowan toolkit - to pound plant material and carve up large prey, such as hippopotamuses, In southwestern Kenya more than 2.6 million years ago.

The "durable and versatile" tools were crafted from special stone materials collected up to eight miles away, according to the new study published in the journal Science Advances

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